The school was force-closed by the Government on 3-1-2001 for unsubstantiated reasons: noise pollution, traffic jam and unsafe buildings. It robbed the villagers and families from surrounding area a school and language of their choice. The school was shifted to a new premises in Tropicana township a distance away. ( all reasons have been rebutted by Government itself by reopening the same school, and latest check on noise pollution proved to be acceptable despite heavier traffic 8 years later)
The villagers formed the SOS Damansara Committee (Save Our School) to fight for the re-open of the school. Meanwhile students who stayed back were moved to the Chinese temple next door to continue their study. The condition was deplorable but the parents and students soldiered on. The Chinese community responded by sending food supplies and material aid. Many teachers volunteered to teach. The present State Assemblyman of Kajang, Lee Lai Kim (Cikgu Lee) was one of them. Me and a group of friends from Kajang also donated materials and supplies to the school. When we made delivery to the school in 2002, then PAS President Nik Aziz and Lim Kit Siang were there too to lend their support.
March 8 General Election saw the change of the political landscape of Malaysia. MCA, thought to be the shit-stirrer and vested interest in the issue, has lost miserably. The UMNO-controlled Government understood the sentiments of the Chinese community, decided to reopen the school.
Deputy Prime Minister Najib on 3/1/09 Saturday, while officiating the New Year 2009 gathering organised by Chinese Youth Organisations in Putrajaya, said that "if the Government previously did not support Chinese organisations, then it is time to change. The Government should assist other communities and to implement policy fair to all....." He also reaffirmed the Chinese community the commitment of Government for the development of Chinese schools.
To the Chinese, language is the soul of the community. Using own language or the mother touge is the basic human right. No suppression or compromise is acceptable.
Perhaps the Catholic church in Malaysia can pick up a point or two from this incident. The Church should try harder to understand the Chinese speaking community (faithful). The language is always a sensitive issue even within the Catholic church. The Mandarin speaking community feels that conducting formation programme and organising activities in Mandarin are being restricted. The hierarchy views their activities with suspicion. The norm now is all must be done in four languages. The community is of the opinion that holding social gathering for all languages together is fine and good for interaction. But retreats, formations and spiritual sharing in four languages are Rojaks.... do not achieve the objectives at all. The community suffered. Growth is stunted. All under the guise of UNITY.
More leaders are of the opinion that the community are being suppressed and neglected. They complained that the Church is not giving attention and focus on the evangelisation to the Chinese speaking society at large in proportionate to the population. The Church blamed the Chinese speaking for not responding to the call of vocation to the priesthood. Statistic has proven that it is the language policy of the Church that discouraged or blocked the Chinese-educated youths taking this path.
In the sixties and seventies, the Government associated the Chinese schools and Chinese language with Communism. In the eighties and nineties, they blamed them as the obstacle to unity. Today, it has changed. History has proven the Chinese schools and Chinese language have had contributed to our nation building. Chinese (Chinese educated) are loyal citizens of the country.
In June 2008, the Herald reported on a dialogue session held in Penang Diocese between the Bishop and the Penang Diocesan Chinese language Apostolate. In his speech, Vicar General (VG) Monsignor Stephen Liew reminded the Chinese community to learn from the March 8 General Election. He warned the community not to raise the issue of language on Mass, meeting, formation programme and so on. Unity meant no language issue. A strong response was sent to Herald on this issue by some Chinese speaking leaders but has not been published. (due to print deadline).
I excused the VG for his ignorance and for not being a man of wisdom. He should not have said so to the Chinese community or he should have said so but to his boss, the Bishop - the Hierarchy.
Luckily he is a Chinese, otherwise he will be termed as a Chauvinist or a racist. But I don't think he has a heart for things Chinese. He and the Church must accept the Chinese as they are, in culture and language.
In a meeting with Archbishop three years ago to brief him on the Chinese-speaking Legion Fellowship held in KL, I assured him that the Chinese-speaking are faithful to their religion and loyal to the Church. They should be appreciated and trusted, and be allowed more space to organise programmes in their own language.
Unity in diversity. But just and equal are the key words.
A lesson for all ( including Government & Hierarchy) : Listen to the voice of the people!
今天， 5/1/2009 见证了华教及华社的坚定意志，刚勇能耐开花结果了。超过八年 （2925天）的抗争和奋斗，被关闭的白沙罗新村华文小学（白小）终于被政府重开，虽然校名改成『白沙罗中华小学』，但这不是很重要的。重要的是，这所被关闭的小学，今天能够重开，造福居民。
这所小学，在2001年1月三日，被政府已"环境污染、交通不便，建筑物不安全" 不被人信服的理由，强行关闭，把它迁往好几公里外艳阳镇，剥夺了当地村民及附件居民一所首选的邻里母语源流学校。这所有的理由今天也因校舍八年后被重开，噪声测量过关，而被政府自己推翻。
村民及家长们组成了一个“救白小 SOS 保校工委会”，为争取学校重开展开斗争。在此同时，那些愿留下来的学生们，被转移到隔壁的神庙及货柜继续他们的学业。糟透的环境，可想而知，但他们坚持的争取及盼望学校重开的一天。这事件引起了华社的响应，整个华社及华团慷慨捐献伙食 、物资等来支持该校及学生。许多教师也献身义务教学。现在加影州议员李成金（Cikgu Lee) 就是其中一个。我和加影的一些朋友也捐出物资给予支持。在2002年我们带送物资去时，也碰巧遇上当时的回教党主席聂阿兹及行动党党魁林吉祥到场支持。
去年的三、八大选，看到了马来西亚政治版图的改变，在该事件有“搅屎棍”之嫌的马华，大选中惨败。巫统控制的中央政府领悟了华社的意愿及情绪，而决定重开白小。
副首相纳吉在3/1/09 年于布城出席华青2009新年团拜的时候说：假如政府以前没有支持华人团体，现在是改变的时候了。政府会协助其他族群，也实行对每个种族公平的政策。。”。 他也重申政府继续发展华校的承诺。
对华人来说，语言是民族的灵魂。使用自己的语言及说母语，是基本人权，决不能被欺压或妥协。
本地的天主教会可以从这事件中，吸取一些要点。教会应该更努力的去了解说华语的信友群。在教会里，语言也是一个敏感的课题。说华语的信众们感觉到以华语举办培训及活动，已经越来越受到限制了。圣统常以怀疑的眼光来看待这些活动。现在的走向是任何活动，都以四语言来进行为策。华语信众非常赞同以这方式 举办联谊活动，但假如主办避静,培训灵修分享等，这就变成“拉杂” - 四不像，不能达到目的和收到功效了。 所以教友领袖普遍上认为华文信众团体停滞不前，没有成长。这些都是以“团结”之名施行的。
许多华语领袖认为他们的团体被压制和忽略。他们埋怨教会没有注重对华社的福传工作，至少从人口的比重可以看得出来，教会根本就没有任何对华社的福传策略。 教会常常抱怨华人不热衷反应圣召。数字可以证明因为教会的语言政策，而不鼓励或阻止了华人子弟选择修道之路。（一切以英语为主）
在六、七十年代，政府把华教和华语等同共产主义。八 、九十年代，常常指责他们是国民团结的绊脚石。今天，历史证明华教对国家的建设，也有贡献。华人（受华文教育者）是对国家绝对的效忠的公民。政府的思维也改变了。
今年六月，教会的前锋报报道了槟城教区主办的主教与槟城华文教务处教会对话的新闻。文章记载了刘副主教对他们说：你们应该从三 、八大选中学到教训，不要提语言的问题。意即不要提出华语弥撒 、集会 、培训等单语言的活动。团结就是没有语言课题。当时引起了外地华文领袖的回应，他们写信到前锋报给予驳斥，但可能因印刷的时限，而不被刊登。
我对刘副主教不以为意，因为他是无知及不是一个睿智的人。他不应该对华语信众说这番话，或者他要说的对象，不是华语信众，而是他的老板- 代表教会的主教。
幸好他也是华人，但却滥用了他的华人身份而乱说话。我相信他对中华的事物及文化毫无兴趣。他和教会应该完全的接纳华文群体，包括文化和语言。
三年前，当我和一些领袖向吉隆坡总主教汇报华文圣母军交流会事项时，我向总主教指证华文教友对他们的信仰忠贞，对教会忠诚，所以教会应该对他们赏识及更有信心，给予他们以自己语言举办活动更多空间。
多元内共融团结。公正和平等是重要的关键。
大家的一个训导（包括政府及圣统）：聆听人民的声音！
白小重开新闻
SOS Damansara Video on Youtube 救白小录影
2 comments:
说的对，确实是如此！
can't help but to think that this is a western church.
Church must also read the sign of time.
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